Professional Practice Innovation Grant (Fund Code 213)
Competitive Grant Program Application Form
I.
Narrative: Program design and implementation
Responses to questions in this section may be included below or submitted as a separate document.
A. Summary
Please provide an overview (two to three paragraphs) of the professional practice innovations and
grant activities proposed by this application. ESE may publish this information along with the
program contact information.
B. Narrative
Please provide a narrative of no more than 15 single-spaced pages with one-inch margins and in
Times New Roman 12 point or equivalent font. This narrative should explain the district’s rationale
for selecting focus areas and curriculum frameworks and should explain how the district will
integrate its implementation of the educator evaluation system and the state curriculum
frameworks. In this narrative, be sure to answer the following questions:
a. Identify the two proposed focus areas and the curriculum framework(s) that will be
addressed by each. Why did the district select these focus areas and curriculum frameworks
for this grant proposal? What conditions and data were considered?
Note: The activities of each focus area must involve both administrators and teachers
and/or specialized instructional support personnel, working on the same curriculum
frameworks and standards. The only exception is the focus area of Professional
Development and Career Growth, which involves administrators only. Districts may choose
to work with different curriculum frameworks and educator groups for each focus area.
b. How is this grant proposal aligned with the current district improvement plan, and how
would use of grant funds strategically advance district priorities?
c. What strategic initiatives do you propose for focus area A, Curriculum and Planning?
Describe grant activities and participating educator groups, including types and numbers of
personnel (e.g., certain grades, subjects, schools) and how they will be selected.
d. What strategic initiatives do you propose for focus area B? Describe grant activities and
participating educator groups, including types and numbers of personnel (e.g., certain
grades, subjects, schools) and how they will be selected.
Note: If focus area B is Professional Development and Career Growth, please complete
section C below as well.
e. What is the proposed timeline for planning and implementation?
f. How will the district use the benchmarks identified in section II to monitor grant work?
g. By the end of the grant, what will the district have accomplished?
h. In what ways does this grant proposal—and the integration of curriculum framework and
educator evaluation implementation—represent an innovative approach to advancing
professional practice in the district?
i. What steps will the district take to document and share promising practices developed
through this grant?
Application for Fund Code 213
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C. Professional development narrative (if applicable)
If your district proposes to use grant funds for the Professional Development and Career Growth
focus area, please provide a narrative of no more than two single-spaced pages with one-inch
margins and in Times New Roman 12 point or equivalent font. In this narrative, be sure to answer
the following questions:
a. How did the district decide upon the professional development that will be offered? What
data were considered? (Or, if the proposal is to develop a professional development plan,
describe how you would go about making these decisions.)
b. How does the proposed professional development meet the Massachusetts Standards for
Professional Development, which defines the characteristics of high quality professional
development? (Or, if the proposal is to develop a professional development plan, how
would you ensure that the PD selected meets the standards?) The standards and the
distinction of high quality professional development from training and other types of
professional development are posted at http://www.doe.mass.edu/pd/standards.html.
c. How will the district monitor and assess the impact of grant-funded activities on
professional practice and student outcomes?
II. Program monitoring and measurement plan
A. For each of the two focus areas selected, please use the forms below to identify the
implementation benchmarks and outcomes you expect to reach during the course of the grant.
Please distinguish between three types of measures, as follows:
 Process benchmarks specify what will happen, who will do it, and when.
 Early evidence of change benchmarks identify changes you should begin to see if the plan is
having its desired impact while being implemented. Early evidence benchmarks are
indicators of effective implementation rather than measurements of interim results. Early
evidence benchmarks might include changes in practice or attitude from sources such as
classroom observation or surveys.
 Outcomes define the expected results, how they will be measured, and when they will
occur. They should always include a measure, a number (target), and a date by which the
target will be reached.
Applicants may either complete these forms within this document and submit this document as
part of their application or copy and paste the forms into a separate document.
Application for Fund Code 213
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Focus Area A: Curriculum and Planning (Required)
Educator Evaluation Standard
I-A: Curriculum and Planning
Curriculum Framework(s)
[Districts fill in selection here]
Strategic initiative
Process benchmarks (at least one per initiative)
[Feel free to add or delete rows if needed]
Strategic initiative
Early evidence of change benchmarks (at least one per initiative)
[Feel free to add or delete rows if needed]
Strategic initiative
Outcomes (at least one per initiative)
[Feel free to add or delete rows if needed]
Application for Fund Code 213
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Focus Area B (Selected by District)
Educator Evaluation Standard
[Districts fill in selection here]
Curriculum Framework(s)
[Districts fill in selection here]
Strategic initiative
Process benchmarks (at least one per initiative)
[Feel free to add or delete rows if needed]
Strategic initiative
Early evidence of change benchmarks (at least one per initiative)
[Feel free to add or delete rows if needed]
Strategic initiative
Outcomes (at least one per initiative)
[Feel free to add or delete rows if needed]
Application for Fund Code 213
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